What Is a Handyman Franchise?

From leaky faucets to out-of-reach lightbulbs, the opportunities for a handyman are never ending. It’s not surprising then that handyman franchises are on the rise. Unlike the lone handyman who engages in physical labor and takes care of the paperwork too, a handyman franchise owner manages a team of contractors who do the repairs. It’s a one-stop shop offering a wide range of home maintenance and repair solutions.

Although you don’t need to be handy yourself, you should have a working knowledge of and interest in the business. Knowing the lingo, for instance, and understanding homeowners’ needs will help your business grow. It will also help to build the foundation of your relationship with the franchisor.

But before you begin calculating the number of wrenches you’ll need to purchase for your business — along with health insurance, computer equipment, office space, and everything else — first find out exactly what a handyman franchise involves and whether or not it’s right for you.

Here are some key questions to get you started:

Are you interested in home improvement? If you have an inherent interest in the home-improvement industry, you are more likely to become a passionate handyman franchise owner. If your interest is minimal, you might become bored and disengaged.

Are you willing to open a business that has an established operating system? Can you embrace the business philosophy of another company, one that depends on your buy-in in order to succeed? You may have the entrepreneurial spirit, but you also need a collaborative attitude when it comes to purchasing any franchise. Indeed, most franchises will have standard procedures for recruiting, training, and even motivating good employees. In other words, you need to share the franchise vision.

Do you have enough money upfront? You’ll need a certain amount of capital to get started. Some franchises, for instance, require a $50,000 investment plus varying amounts of working capital — $55,000 for a home-based business and $100,000 for an office-based business, for example.

Are you a skilled businessperson? More important than your abilities to wield a hammer is your business acumen. Remember, as a handyman franchise owner your job is to hire skilled and talented handymen, not to repair a homeowner’s plumbing problem. As a franchisee, you’re in charge of marketing, hiring, scheduling, bookkeeping, and other responsibilities that keep the business running.

Do you have the time to conduct the necessary research? The best way to evaluate the various handyman franchise company options available is to carefully research what each offers its franchisees. Does the company offer a top-notch marketing program to pull in a steady stream of customers and attract skilled craftsmen? Is there an automated scheduling program that ensures that each time slot is filled? Is the franchise growing as a whole?

What do the current franchisees say about the company? Reading up on a franchise is essential, but talking to other franchisees is critical. After talking to franchise representatives, get a list of several of their franchisees and schedule time for serious conversations during which you can ask several questions like “What do you like about the franchise?” “What don’t you like?” “What are your numbers like?” “Do you receive steady support from the company?” and “If you could change anything, what would it be?”

Do you enjoy helping people solve problems? In addition to having an interest in the home-improvement industry, it probably helps the handyman franchise owner to have an affinity for people. People call handyman franchises because they have something that needs to be fixed or need some kind of installation. Those needs are personal, and customers are depending on a company’s desire to help them achieve some kind of resolution. Therefore it’s important for the franchisee to be both people- and solutions-oriented. One without the other will not be enough.